Dave Allen has shared the ring in sparring with modern heavyweight greats Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua.
Allen has always been a favourite amongst the fans for his straight taking and his willingness to take on all comers. He has squared off with the likes of David Price, Dillian White and Luis Ortiz in the ring, and got solid wins over Lucas Browne, Nick Webb and most recently Johnny Fisher.
Along the way, he has done plenty of sparring with a range of champions and former champions, including Usyk, in preparation for his fight with Joshua. Famously, the Ukrainian hit him so hard he almost looked out on his feet, and the Brit later admitted he suffered a concussion and retired from the sport before making a comeback.
Speaking to Matchroom Boxing, ‘The White Rhino’ was asked who hit hardest out of those three top names and overlooked both Usyk and ‘AJ’ – who has 25 knockouts from 28 wins – to name ‘The Gypsy King’ in top spot.
“Fury.”
Fury has scored 24 early finishes in 34 wins. Most recently, he lost two points decisions to Usyk and announced his retirement from the sport, though most fans hope he will return to face Joshua in 2026.
Joshua hasn’t fought since he was knocked out by Daniel Dubois in five rounds at Wembley Stadium last September, but a clash against Fury would still appeal to fans.
